Media in Yemen – narratives of polarization and fragmentation

Abstract

Fragmentation is the main trait of the media in Yemen, which has largely served as an information tool, producing a sensitized narrative in a polarized country historically divided into different regions. The media are used to amplifying differences in times of war and claiming unity in times of peace. The development of Yemeni media was very much linked to the political rivalries, both within the country and the region as a whole, from the occupations (British and Ottoman empires) until the ongoing civil war among different factions, each one supported by a host of external actors or countries. This chapter sheds light on the development of Yemeni media, both before and after the unification in 1990 and during the ongoing civil war.